Monthly Archives: June 2013

Life can really hit us hard at times. Sometimes we come to a point where we just don’t know what to do anymore. We had dreams we wanted to be fulfilled, we had desires we were hoping would come true. Like it or not, sometimes things just suddenly turn around. You thought you knew where you’re going and then suddenly you find yourself feeling lost deep inside. I heard this song which I know has a valuable lesson we can learn from.

WHO YOU ARE by Abandon

TAKE AWAY EVERYTHING I’M WANTING,
TAKE EVERYTHING I KNOW,
LIFE IS WASTED ON THE THINGS
WE CANNOT FIND,
WHY DON’T YOU LEAVE NOW,
OR CHANGE YOUR MIND,

(I CAN’T FEEL ANYTHING) WHEN YOUR GONE,

WHEN YOUR WORLD IS CRASHING DOWN,
REMEMBER WHO YOU ARE,
REMEMBER HOW YOU’VE COME SO FAR,
WHEN ALL HOPE SEEMS TO DISAPPEAR,
LOOK INSIDE YOUR HEART,
LOOK INSIDE YOUR HEART,

CARRY ME, I KNOW I’M NOT WHERE I BELONG,
I NEED TO BE WITH YOU,
‘CAUSE I’M HIGHER THAN YOU KNOW
I’M GONNA SHOW YOU THE UNKNOWN,
I AM NOW FOR REAL,

(I CAN’T FEEL ANYTHING) WHEN YOUR GONE,

FIND WHO YOU ARE.

How to stop feeling lost? Just remember when things in your life don’t seem to make sense right now, when the important truth that you think you know is not necessarily what you need for your situation to go right, you just have to put your faith firmly on who you are. When you don’t know how to handle what life brings you, just know who you are. When you feel hopeless because things are not the way you expect them to be, just know who you are. You are God’s beloved.

Isaiah 41:10 - Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

John 1:12 - But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,

1 John 4:16 - So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.

Psalm 118:6 - The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?

Jeremiah 31:3 - The Lord appeared to him from far away. I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you.

I may not personally know what you are going through, but He does. You are precious to Him. Whatever trial or problem you’re facing, hang on to the truth that He loves you and wants to take you through it. Just remember who you are.

It was a good thing that I was struck in traffic last night. In the middle of the road with no cars moving, I suddenly decided to read the bible and was lead to John 13. I wanted to study it more, so when I arrived home I tried to read different articles about this specific chapter in the bible. I was blown away with one particular lesson we can learn from Jesus washing his disciple’s feet.

You would read in John 13:1 “knowing that his hour had come that He would depart out of this world to the Father.” This was on the eve of Jesus’ crucifixion and He knew what He was going to experience. He knew the suffering that He would endure. He knew the pain that He would bear. He knew in a moment, in his eternity, that there will be a point where he will experience the abandonment and despair from divine wrath as God placed the sins of the whole world on Him. He knew all of these things but that didn’t stop him from showing selfless service to his disciples.

Lesson: If we are to follow Jesus’ example of selfless service, regardless of what we are feeling (good or bad), we have no excuse not to serve others. At times I hear people say they cannot serve in ministry because they just don’t feel like it. They don’t serve because they have a problem. Or they cannot serve because they are struggling with something. Are we to serve only when we feel like serving? Are we to serve only when the passion to serve is there and not when times are tough? If it’s about God and not about us, does that give us any reason not to serve despite what we are going through?

Jesus showed the perfect example. He knew the suffering that he would endure. He knew at the appointed time, He would leave his disciples and be reunited with His father. And one very important lesson He wanted his disciples to understand was shown through action. He became the living example of the lesson He wanted his disciples to understand. When you serve, you are to be selfless. There’s no more you. There’s no more pride. Nothing about you. Only about the interest of the person/people you are serving. There are a lot of other lessons we can learn from this humbling act that Jesus performed. I pray that we would put this in our hearts. When we serve, it’s not about us or our feelings. It is about this loving God who gave his life for us and showed selfless service, an example which we are to follow.

So I ask you this question: If it’s about selfless service, then what excuse do we have now?

I leave you to answer that question on your own. If you have anything to share or comment, I would love to hear from you through the comment section below. God bless you!

It’s sad to know that some Christians today live defeated lives because they don’t realize the power they have to be victorious – to enjoy a life of victory. Paul prayed for the believers/church in Ephesians 3:14-19. He prayed that they may be strengthened with power through His Spirit – The Holy Spirit. He prayed for power which comes from the Holy Spirit. We can see that power being mentioned in the verses below:

“You are witnesses . . . but stay in the city, until you are clothed with power from on high.” Luke 24:48.

“And you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth.” Acts 1:8.

This power is essential for the challenges of an ever-expanding witness of Christ and our everyday battles in life. It is the power to serve with such love and passion. The power to serve despite physical weariness. The power to move forward despite opposition. The power to overcome sin. As God’s children we have that power. We just need to yield to the right power. The Power is there, you just need to plug-in to the source.

Three ways to plug-in the power of the Holy Spirit

(1) Immerse yourself in the Word of God and believe in his truths

Wh>n we look into 1 John 2:14, we would see the definition of Strong Men – the word of God abides in them. That’s why we are always to read his word and contemplate on it, to be strong in our faith. But it’s not enough that we know the truths in His word, we also need to apply the truths in our lives. Allow God’s word to manifest into our actions. For example, we can smile and be joyful despite suffering because in James 1:2-4 it says “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” When we are going through a tough time and we contemplate heavily on this verse, it gives us that joy that no matter what you are going through, God is doing something greater in your life. With the trials, hurts and problems you have, God is developing your character. Again, you can know this verse but to actually apply it is a different thing. You can apply this verse by using it to develop a different perspective in your trials. Then, the Holy Spirit will empower you to have that joy despite your suffering.

(2) Pray for the Power of the Holy Spirit

The disciples in Acts 1:13 prayed for ten days before the Pentecost happened, after which, gave them the power to do the work entrusted to them. In Ephesians 3:14-19 Paul prayed for the power to be with the church. The Holy Spirit is already in you but you just need to pray that you follow the spirit and allow him to work in and through you

(3) Obey the leading immediately

Obeying God’s leading in your life helps you die to yourself regularly. Clare de Graaf said “Christian character is shaped less by dramatic decisions than by the cumulative thousands small acts of simple obedience.” It is through these small leadings that we manage to get out of our comfort zones and depend only on the Lord. Because to obey his leading immediately is to be filled with the fullness of God empowered by love. John MacArthur defined it as this:

To be so strong spiritually, so compelled by divine love, that one is totally dominated by the Lord with nothing left of self - John MacArthur

That is power -when we are compelled by divine love! Obeying and doing the leading removes your right and replaces it with only the love for God. Because to fully understand God is impossible. The fullness that is being talked about in Ephesians 3:19 is being full of love for the Lord in total surrender and total submission to Him. It’s understanding that there is no more you but only Christ. And when Christ is manifested fully in your life, the power of the Holy Spirit works in you, in everything you do and say because you are yielded to Him – you are in step with Him.